My Referral

How will we get in touch?

Once we have received your referral you will be sent a text message with a link asking you to complete a form with more information about the problem you have been referred for. A reminder letter will be sent out if the link has not been completed within 2 weeks. We understand that not everyone can use their phone to complete information electronically and the letter will detail alternative options. The information you provide will allow us to process your referral.

Please do let us know if you do not wish to be on our waiting list or your condition has improved and treatment is now not required.

Currently there is waiting list for treatment and we will contact you as soon as we can by letter asking you to ring the department to book an appointment. It is important that you do this within 2 weeks of the date of the letter or you will be discharged from our care.

You will be offered a choice of times and location for your first appointment. Please be aware that some specialties are only based at one site and more information about our sites can be found here:

Our sites and specialties

We are able to deliver Physiotherapy from a number of sites around Bradford but, we may ask you to attend a specific site where the team has dedicated facilities which are best suited to your needs.

What happens when you visit us for the first time?

Please arrive at least 10 minutes before your appointment time to ensure you have time to book in at reception desk. Please note that if you arrive more than 10 minutes after your appointment time your Therapist may not be able to see you.

During your first appointment, the Physiotherapist will ask you questions about the condition you have been referred for, the impact it is having on your normal daily routine and the things that you would like to change by attending Physiotherapy. For safe and effective care it is important that we also have a complete picture of your health (both past and present) and any medication you take. It would be helpful if you could complete the Health Form (PDF, 619 KB) prior to your appointment and bring it with you. Alternatively, you can complete the form which is available from the Physiotherapy reception desk on arrival for your appointment (please allow at least 10 minutes to complete this prior to the start of your appointment).

The Physiotherapist will then want to examine the area that you have been referred for. We will ensure your privacy and dignity is respected at all times. The physiotherapist may ask you to undress to your underwear to allow your joints, muscles and nerves to be examined. For a neck or shoulder problem you may feel more comfortable wearing a vest. For a lower back or leg problem you may wish to wear a pair of shorts.

The Physiotherapist will discuss the assessment findings and treatment options with you.

Students

Physiotherapy students are often on placement in our department and may be involved in your care.  They work under the supervision of a qualified physiotherapist and all care is discussed with them.

A student will introduce themselves and will ask for your consent to be treated by a student. Please tell us if this is not acceptable to you.

Treatment

Treatment is focused on improving movement and strength. Pain will often reduce as joints become more mobile and muscles become stronger. Your treatment will be tailored to address the findings from the assessment. You will agree the things you want to change with your physiotherapist  and jointly work towards them.

For most conditions, exercise therapy is proven to be beneficial. We run a number of specialist exercises classes and after 1:1 treatment we may discuss you joining one of these classes.

How often will I need to attend and for how long?

This varies from person to person and will be discussed with you at your assessment. To help your recovery you will be given stretches and strengthening exercises to do at home. Please do discuss with your Physiotherapist any difficulty you have with these.

Feedback, complaints and compliments

We welcome patient feedback ranging from compliments and comments, to concerns and complaints.

We appreciate at times things don’t always go quite as expected and we would encourage you to raise your concerns to a member of staff in the first instance. In many cases it should be possible to remedy an issue immediately talking to the person you have already been dealing with, or perhaps their manager.

If you are not happy with the care and support you have received within our department, we would urge you to contact the Trust’s Patient Experience Department (formerly PALS and Complaints)

Cancellations

If you are unable to attend your appointment it is important that you telephone 01274 364250 so that we can offer this date to another patient and arrange a new appointment with you.

Please be aware that if you do not attend, or if you cancel and re-book your appointment on more than one occasion, you may be referred back to the care of your GP.

Translators and interpreters

Most of our clinicians can only ask questions and examine patients using English. If patients are not fluent in English a translator may be needed. All our translators are bound by rules of confidentiality.

Either the patient’s GP or relatives may let us know of the patient’s needs. Relevant contact details will also be provided on the appointment letter.

It should be noted that although relatives can be very helpful as translators, we often need to use medical vocabulary which needs a trained translator. People are also often uncomfortable discussing all aspects of the medical history with a relative.

Translators and interpreters are available for the majority of languages and can be arranged for each appointment. A period of 24-hours’ notice is recommended.

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